During the past 18 years, Stone has grown from a small-scale brewery producing 400 barrels of beer in 1996 to the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States.

Stone Brewing Co. is turning the big one-eight. To celebrate this milestone, the company is hosting its largest annual event — the Stone 18th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival — on August 15 and 16. The merriment will take place at California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM) in North San Diego County, and promises to be the largest, best edition of this sudsy soiree yet. Per tradition, Stone will proudly contribute 100 percent of the profits from the festival to local Southern California charities, including Surfrider Foundation, The Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos, The Palomar Family YMCA and Fight ALD.

During the past 18 years, Stone has grown from a small-scale brewery producing 400 barrels of beer in 1996 to the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States, with sights set on expanding to the East Coast in the near future. Through it all, brewing forward-thinking and style-defying beers, promoting the craft beer industry and giving back to the community have always remained core principles of Stone’s business philosophy.

“Each year, we host an event that celebrates the accomplishments and growth that not only Stone has made, but the entire craft beer industry,” said President and Co-founder Steve Wagner. “We invite more than 50 of our closest brewing comrades and thousands of our fans to come raise a glass to the collective progress made driving awareness for craft beer. We would like to thank all the people that have attended our Anniversary Celebration and Invitational Beer Festivals in the past. Because of them, we’ve been able to raise more than $2 million for charity through the years.”

The two-day festivities kick off Friday, August 15 with a Brewers Reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., where guests will be able to mingle with various world-class craft brewers while sampling beers of their devising. Tickets are $80 ($83.79 with tax and service fee) and include a commemorative glass, unlimited samplings of more than 40 special craft brews that will only be available that evening, complimentary gourmet edibles from Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, live music and an upper-level cigar lounge.

On Sat., August 16, the main Stone 18th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival will commence with two sessions: Session A, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Session B, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets for each session are $45 ($47.57 with tax and service fee) and include a commemorative tasting glass, 15 three-ounce samples and a selection of more than 100 beers from 50-plus breweries, including unique Stone beers served on cask. Complimentary homebrewed sodas and samples of a local cult favorite, Mike’s Beer Cheese, will also be available.